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In today's highly competitive marketplace, it is simply impossible to stand out and attract customers without a robust social media strategy for your small business or organization. Almost every niche of business has many competitors, and it takes a lot for customers to notice one over all the rest. Furthermore, the rise of social media and mobile devices means that marketing that incorporates social media tools is quickly becoming a critical part of digital marketing. In this post, we will explain some basic ways to take advantage of social media to drive more customers to your business and help you convert leads. Separate Your Profiles
It's crucial to make a division between personal and professional accounts. You need to have a Facebook page for your small business, and when you want to talk about your business on Facebook, use that account as a clearinghouse. Don't allow personal chatter to leak into the professional space -- it is off-putting to people who find your page because it looks unprofessional and exclusionary. That goes for Twitter and Instagram as well. Create separate accounts to use for business. Build On Success
Marketing is part art and part science, so what works for others might not work for you. It all depends on your business and your intended audience. Take careful note of what works and what doesn't, and then concentrate on building on the success stories. Marketing initiatives can fail for any number of reasons, many of which are outside your control. On the other hand, it is much easier to find out why something worked. You will learn more from studying your wins than your losses. Use that mentality to guide your future strategy and design. It also helps you to stay positive and look on the bright side, which is important for staying in business for the long term.

Think Long
We touched on this in the last point, but you have to be ready to think about the long term. Don't pour all of your energy into short-term results. First of all, if you are just starting out, then you may well wind up disappointed. It's hard for new businesses to make a splash, so don't be surprised if it takes a while for your work to pay off. Next, keep in mind that business is a marathon, not a sprint. Your strategies for social media are not just to create short-term buzz-- they are designed to funnel a steady stream of visitors to your business. If you try to create buzz with aggressive campaigns and shock value, then you might see more traffic in the immediate future, but it will die down over time.Work From The Heart
If you want to be convincing on social media, then you have to be able to write from the heart. It is a safe assumption that you care deeply about your business. You need to let that shine though in your posts and updates. Your passion about your business and your field will excite visitors and customers, increasing their interest in what you have to say.

Furthermore, if you demonstrate that level of passion, then you also appear more credible. Enthusiasm and passion are not easy to fake, so you will look more genuine and dedicated if you write with passion. Viewers are also more likely to trust that you know what you are doing, because they will assume that someone with such obvious interest must have a good understanding of their business. Building "Real" Relationships
There are a lot of social media strategies for small businesses that can help you bring more people to your site and encourage them to buy from you, but the bottom line is that you need to forge "real" relationships and make an emotional connection with people (future customers) to succeed. Customers want to feel wanted-- they want to feel that you as a business owner value them personally. The personal connection is what turns a casual browser into a loyal customer. The value of the product is attractive, but without that personal touch it is nothing more than a matter of prices and value. When you can use social media, both posts and messages, to show customers that you value them, then they are even more likely to keep coming back to you. After that, it's not just about the money anymore— it's personal, and the customer likes coming back to you even above the value they gain from your product.If you keep these principles in mind, you are sure to start gaining followers and customers. Remember that you need to be personally invested in both the business and the marketing to be successful— combine your personality, passion, and ambition into results. For more helpful information on growing your small business, be sure to "Like" our CinchLocal Facebook page to learn more and connect with fellow business owners like yourself.

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